Data transfer over cellular networks is becoming more and more popular. Data from portable computing devices is transferred across cellular networks for E-mail and to enable Internet access.
Some portable computing devices produce much more cellular data traffic than others. Typically, laptops allow for a far greater amount of data traffic across cellular networks than personal digital assistants (PDAs). The transfer of images and audio files enabled by laptops tend to require a lot of traffic across the cellular network. Personal digital assistants are often limited to E-mail data traffic, and even when they have a World Wide Web connection, browsing tends to require significantly fewer data packet transfers.
In order to enable carriers and service providers to charge PDA users less than laptop users, special cellular wireless network card can be designed to work only with personal digital assistants. This would allow the cellular network to know when a personal digital assistant, rather than a laptop, is connected to the cellular network. The personal digital assistant user can then be billed less than a user who connects using a laptop. The additional production cost and inventory cost of a wireless network card specifically designed for personal digital assistants is prohibitive. It is desired to have a wireless network card that is able to self-determine whether the wireless network card is designated for use with personal digital assistants only.